Teaching Kids the Importance of Safety

The writer believes that a beautiful camaraderie
 makes life a wonderful journey.

          Parents do not want to face the horrible and terrible experience of losing a child, but do they put enough effort in making sure that their children will stay safe wherever they are? Are their children always the top priority or will they easily switch their attention when they hear the alluring beeps of their smartphones?

            Children, no matter how smart, should not be left unattended, considering their level of maturity and sensibility, which may not be able to control and prevent danger. Otherwise, children will have to pay the price of the adults’ failure to keep them safe, and recent incidents that claimed lives of kids paint a clear picture of what should not happen if safety were applied.

Accidents can happen anywhere, anytime and to anyone. Thus, it is important for parents and teachers to educate children about safety and strangers. Parents need to remind their children to control their behaviour in public and stay close to them or guardians to prevent mishaps and other undesirable circumstances. After all, prevention is the best way to avoid future regrets, blames and ordeals.

            Teachers are equally responsible to equip children with safety skills.  For children in pre-schools, kindergartens and primary schools, creative activities should help children enjoy lessons on safety. This is one way to create an effective learning lesson full of values and the information necessary for knowledge and survival.

            Apart from receiving formal education in schools, government and non-government organisations may contribute in inculcating awareness in children regarding personal safety. Programmes that focus on how, why, where and when to be safe are best conducted during school breaks. Not only will these educational and beneficial programmes make their holidays enjoyable and intriguing, it would be a good opportunity to make new friends, as well as encourage cooperation and social interaction. Getting our children to participate in these physically and mentally healthy activities is certainly better than letting them spend the whole day, or worse, the entire school break, playing video games, watching television, surfing the Internet or hanging out with the wrong friends.

            As for parents, they need to take children’s safety seriously and be thankful for the children they are blessed with. Smart parents will not run errands before ensuring their children’s safety. They will not answer a phone call unless there is a trusted adult being in charge. And, they will keep their children close during outings especially in crowded public places.   

            To take care of children may be a big responsibility, but to deal with grave repercussions of negligence is beyond any parent’s imagination. 

            Parents and guardians need to be reminded that to stay alert today is to keep children alive tomorrow.  

Courtesy of New Sunday Times

10 May 2015